Sunday, July 15, 2012

Mass Effect 3 Extended Cut Thoughts

Proof that cupcakes win every argument

Mass Effect 3 was released back in March, and with it came a
furious tempest of outrage aimed at the ending to the would-be great sci-fi
epic. Mass Effect 3’s ending was
littered with plot holes, narrative inconsistencies, confusion, bleakness, and
disrespect to the fans and the lore that came before it. Now, Bioware has the right to shit on their
game if they want to, but the fans understandably outraged over an ending that
not only destroyed the entire galaxy, but also abolished every choice you have
ever made for your Commander Shepard, right down to the character’s gender
(“The Shepard?” Fuck that). Due to the
sheer power of the outcry, Bioware elected to calm the storm and release a new
extended ending. This ending would
feature additional cutscenes and epilogues that would further expand and
clarify the existing ending rather than change it. But considering how utterly horrific the
original ending was, would that be enough?

As it turns out, Bioware did not simply clarify their
ending. They did in fact change the
ending, however, the changed it by working within the confines of what was
already there. The truth of the matter
is that ME3’s original ending set out to destroy the universe, abolish your
choices and end the franchise on a ridiculous Adam and Eve reference. What other purpose does the revelation of the
asari goddess being a prothean serve?
Why else is the Stargazer scene necessary? And what other reason would they strip away
any reference to Commander Shepard by referring to him/her simply as “The
Shepard?” Why else would the Mass Relays
explode if not to cause a catastrophic event in every single system? Why else is it necessary to separate the
Normandy crew from the rest of the galaxy, if it is not consumed by hundreds if
not thousands of supernovas? Thankfully,
the ending is now much less grim and apocalyptic and actually commits to
stopping the Reapers.

There is not a whole lot that has changed in the EC, but what
has changed is dramatically different and has a massive impact on the emotions
you feel at the end of the game.
Firstly, the EMS requirements have been lowered to an achievable
level. Now, every single ending option
is available to you and your Shepard’s without having to resort to
multiplayer. As much as I appreciate this
change I can’t help but remember that Bioware promised this was going to be the
case at launch. Among some other changes
were new cutscenes that expanded the battle for Earth slightly, including an
especially excellent scene involving the chosen love interest. Also included is a stronger, more effective
confrontation with Harbinger.

The Catalyst has also been rewritten to actually make some
sense. Before, the Catalyst was an
artificial entity inhabiting the Citadel and controlling the Reapers. Obviously this creates a massive plot hole in
ME1. If the Catalyst is the Citadel, why
do the Reapers need Sovereign to open the relay in the first installment? Now, the Catalyst is the collective
consciousness of the Reapers (which was my theory! Woot!!!).
The Catalyst scene has been rewritten quite dramatically. Not only can Shepard argue with the Star-brat’s
logic, but the space toddler even admits to its own logical flaws. It also provides further insight to the
Reapers, the Crucible and all of the choices you can make for the ending. One other addition to this scene is a new
ending. The much requested “Screw you
Catalyst,” ending now exists. However,
this ending results in the utter destruction of this cycle, paving way for the
next cycle to finish the job we started.
Basically, the original ending is now the new ending. Control, destroy and synthesis are also explained
in greater detail by the Catalyst, and each have a unique epilogue sequence
that explain the result of your choice.

In my opinion, the Extended Cut does its job. Sure there are still tons of plot holes,
retcons, and a host of other problems, but at least there are no inbred
colonies. It’s not perfect, hell it
isn’t even particularly good, but it does its job. Had Mass Effect 3 shipped with this ending,
the fans may have simply said, “Well that was kind of sucky. But oh well.
Let’s start over and play again!”
However, the original ending was, in my opinion, an insult to the most
loyal of fans. It was like cutting off a
limb. This extended cut merely attempts
to put a band aid on and act like it’s all better. Sadly, the leg is still gone and there is
nothing you can do to repair the damage.

Overall, ME3’s extended end fixes what it set out to
fix. The real problems throughout ME3
are still present. Just a little bit
more closure was added… sort of. The
biggest problem I have with the EC is that it still refuses to commit to
whether or not Shepard is alive. That
was easily the biggest gripe people had with the original ending, and yet,
Shepard’s status is still up in the air.
I don’t think Bioware realizes the power Shepard’s fate has on
players. If Shepard stood up and dusted
him/herself off, this whole debacle would be over. Fans would accept what they can’t change and
move on. Instead, Bioware continues to
force us to write the ending in our heads, without even bothering to give us compensation.

Does my score of Mass Effect 3 change now that the EC has
fixed a few major gripes in the ending?
No, because it doesn’t fix the major gripes with the entire game. My biggest issues with ME3 had nothing to do
with the ending. They were the auto
dialog, the lack of closure, the useless characters that go nowhere, the
horrifically bad dialog and reputation systems, the lack of player agency
throughout the game, no consequences for any choice you ever made; I could go
on and on. None of these problems were
fixed in any substantial way. When I
beat ME3 with this extended ending, I feel exactly the same as I did when I
beat the game the first time. Disappointed. Still, both ME3 and the EC have some high
points. I recommend getting the EC
simply because it’s free. Just don’t be
surprised if you still feel like you overpaid.
Mass Effect 3, you still get a 7 out of 10. Enjoy it.

And one last note to my readers, don’t be expecting me to
review any more Bioware games or DLC. I
think I’m pretty much done with them. I
know many of my readers jumped on thanks to my ludicrous amount of Mass Effect
articles. I may be done with Bioware,
but I hope you guys stick around.

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About Me

Hey there! I'm Ryan Keyworth. I am a writer, editor, colorist and letterer. I primarily work in the comic book realm, having written and published my creator owned comic book series, Star Crossed Galaxy. I also have written several articles, columns, and reviews all across the web. You can see some of my works hosted at PCM Tech Help Show and Fanboy Buzz. Also, check out my personal blog, The Writer's Blog!